Orlando shuts down free Wi-Fi service

The city of Orlando, Fla., has cancelled a pilot program that offered free wireless Internet access at a downtown park, according to a story on Forbes.com.

Begun in January 2004, Orlando’s downtown wireless district project was designed to provide free Internet access to as many as 200 users simultaneously, but only about 27 people per day used the system during the 17-month pilot. City officials said the usage rate wasn’t enough to justify the $1800 per month being spent to maintain the network.

An Orlando municipal spokesman said the city would consider reviving the free wireless service in the future, especially if the costs can be offset by corporate sponsorships, according to the story.